[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 124 (Tuesday, July 26, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E783]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  HONORING THE TRADITION AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE SOUL CHILDREN OF 
                                CHICAGO

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DANNY K. DAVIS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 26, 2022

  Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, today, I wish to honor 
The Soul Children of Chicago headed by Dr. Walt Whitman, Jr. This 
organization, created in 1981, is the Nation's oldest internationally-
acclaimed, Grammy-award-winning, youth, gospel choir.
  The choir has performed internationally in Sweden, Italy, Holland, 
Israel, and Switzerland, and across the United States, even performing 
for nearly 1.7 billion people on the opening day of the 2010 World Cup 
in South Africa as well as at the White House for Presidents George H. 
W. Bush, Richard Nixon, and Ronald Reagan. The Soul Children of Chicago 
has recorded with Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey, Neil Diamond, Yolanda 
Adams, and many other notables. The list of accomplishments goes on.
  However, The Soul Children of Chicago is much more than the 
prestigious awards and accolades it has garnered. The organization is a 
living testament to the promise of Psalm 37:3, ``Take delight in the 
LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart.''
  Under the direction and passion-filled guidance of Dr. Walt Whitman, 
Jr., The Soul Children of Chicago serves as a catalyst for the 
education, elevation, and illumination of Chicago's youth.
  Although it has garnered many awards and international recognitions, 
these accomplishments have never been the goal. The goal has always 
focused on utilizing music as the motivator to inspire young people 
worldwide to have faith in themselves, each other, and God. This 
dedication to youth uplift is rooted in the principle of ``taking 
delight in the LORD'' and has marked Dr. Whitman and The Soul Children 
of Chicago as household names both in the United States and overseas.
  Please make no mistake; the journey of The Soul Children of Chicago 
has been challenging. But it has been worth it.
  The Soul Children of Chicago is bigger than rehearsals. Bigger than a 
choir. Bigger than an organization. It is family. Further, this family 
has spawned graduates, artists, pastors, business owners, community 
leaders, professionals, doctors, lawyers, and entrepreneurs. This 
family presents students with the tools and accountability to excel in 
any task they undertake, whether succeeding in school, staying out of 
gangs and drug culture, or cultivating a spirit of excellence.
  The Soul Children of Chicago is a family that takes delight in the 
LORD, and, for that reason, I believe that He will continue to give 
them all the desires of their hearts. Dr. Walt Whitman, Jr., the head 
of this family, began a good work in 1981, and, by the grace of God, he 
will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
  I await their continued success an excellence in the years to come.

                          ____________________